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Brian Elliott
(with a Foreword by Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract)
Lord Mason. Barnsley Pit Lad to Peer: A Life Illustrated
Wharncliffe Books
HB, 256pp, £19.99
 Three years in the making, this is the first published biography of Lord Mason of Barnsley who of course as Roy Mason MP, was a prominent figure in the Wilson and Callaghan administrations during the 1960s and 1970s. Most notable for his role as Defence and Northern Ireland Secretary, Mason also held a variety of other posts of responsibility including Postmaster General, President of the Board of Trade and Minister of Power. The book is based on Lord Mason’s huge archive of photographs, cartoons and printed material, supplemented via a series of interviews. There are also tributes from colleagues and friends; and an original section where he provides us with cameo pen portraits of former colleagues. A very useful chronology precedes each main section of the book, as does an ‘Overview’, both helping the reader to appreciate the context of the picture sequence. Generally speaking the captions are thoughtful and detailed; and the illustrations have been carefully chosen so as to represent people, places and events. Understandably, there’s a lot of Barnsley and South Yorkshire interest and plenty of new material, particularly in respect of Mason’s childhood in the village of Carlton, his marriage to a Royston girl, Marjorie, who was in the Land Army and his work as a miner at Wharncliffe Woodmoor 4 & 5 Colliery. Mason and his family ‘paid the price’ for his fair but firm approach when he was based at Stormont during the Troubles, having to live with Special Branch protection afterwards 24/7. As well as his considerable achievements as a Member of Parliament the book also includes reference to Mason’s work in the House of Lords, his campaigns (for example to get recognition for the Bevin Boys), voluntary work and leisure interests. The book includes a wonderful collection of photographs, many of them previously unpublished including some from Lord Mason’s family albums. The only politician from Barnsley to achieve senior Cabinet status, Lord Mason was given the rare honour of the Freedom of Barnsley in a special ceremony last year. The book (produced and published in Barnsley) about Lord Mason’s life and times certainly helps us to appreciate what a wonderful public servant he has been for so many years.
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